Gosford preview: Promising filly Emery can start a big 48 hours for trainer Sara Ryan culminating in a Provincial-Midway Championship with Matcha Latte

Trainer Sara Ryan can head into the Provincial-Midway Championship Final at Randwick on the back of a winning day at Gosford where she has with three leading contenders.

Emery (outside) can break her maiden when she heads to Gosford. Picture: Bradley Photos

Trainer Sara Ryan already has a Big Dance trophy on the mantle and would love to add the Provincial-Midway Championship Final this weekend with Matcha Latte.

The gelding has comeback from serious injury and a bleeding attack to head into the $1 million feature as a leading chance.

“To win this weekend would really be a career highlight. It would be a huge result for the whole team,” said Ryan.

“I was told Matcha Latte would never race again but I spent two years rehabbing this horse to get him back to his top because I know he is such a quality horse.

“To have him perform as well as he has in his three starts this season is fantastic but to win the (Provincial-Midway) Final would be very special.”

.@nashhot lifts Happy Bellie to victory! Another winner for @BBakerRacing 👏 pic.twitter.com/nNVf95ajMl

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 13, 2025

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Before Ryan turn her complete attention to Matcha Latte, she saddles up three leading chances at Gosford.

Three-year-old filly Emery has been very good in all three career runs with varying degrees of luck and can break through for her first win in the Super Maiden Plate (1100m).

The daughter of Almanzour found herself in an awkward position on debut when sixth behind Shoutaboutit at Hawkesbury before a third to Straand Beauty at Wyong last October.

She resumed with a strong finishing short half head second Happy Bellie over 1100m on the Kensington on March 13.

“She a real deal horse. I absolutely love her,” she said.

“I think very highly of her which is why I have taken my time getting her ready. She has quite a hot little brain and needed time before she was ready to race.

“She ran well in her first campaign but has come back better this time in.

“I am honestly surprised how quick she is because she is bred to stay.

“I have the Denise’s Joy Stakes at the Scone carnival in the back of my mind, but she needs to go through her grades in the meantime to head there.”

Fellow three-year-old Bluebird Bay is chasing a unique distinction of winning two Class 1 races.

The son of The Autumn Son followed a debut third to You Whang at Scone with a win in a Class 1 at Hawkesbury over 1600m.

🐦 Bluebird Bay gets there with a strong win at @hawkesburyrc for @Reganbayliss and Sara Ryan! pic.twitter.com/kuu1lnGMqB

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 17, 2024

Following two handy yet improving efforts in both runs back from a spell over 1500m and 1850m, he will relish the step up to 2100m in the Class 1 and Maiden Plate.

“I’ve always really liked him and he is a lovely horse to do anything with, that’s why he is still a colt,” Ryan said.

“He has comeback very dour this prep but I always thought he would be a longer distance horse.

“He needed the run first-up then the second race came up a little bit too soon but he needed to go to it.

“He is third-up now, rock hard fit and ready to go. I expect a big show from him.”

Ryan likes what she has seen from Castelvecchio two-year-old colt I Am Carrot who makes his race debut in the Provincial Maiden Handicap (1200m).

“He is really sharp at home and done everything right,” she said.

“He has had a couple of jumpouts on the grass and that’s why I’m happy to step him out at the races after only one barrier trial.

“It’s not something I would normally do but we have been hampered by washed out meetings and trials.

“He’s mature in the mind and body so there’s no reason not to give him a run.

“I do think next preparation is when we will really see something from him but he is ready to get the exposure to race days now and run well.”

â–  â–  â–  â–  â– 

Local horseman Jake Hull will leave it to the last moment before making his decision which race his promising gelding Lord Vettori will tackle on his home track.

Hull has Lord Vettori in the Super Maiden Plate (1100m) where he has comes into barrier 4 and also the Provincial Maiden Handicap (1200m) where he has gate 11.

“I love to change the barriers around,” said Hull.

“I feel the 1200m race is a fair few lengths weaker on form than the Super Maiden but we just have to wait and see if there are any more scratchings from both races.

“On that front, I would prefer the 1200m race but the wide draw is going to make it tricky.

“The soft draw around his home track is probably going to sway us to go to the harder race over 1100m.”

Lord Vettori was good in his first two starts as a two-year-old after when third and fourth respectively at Grafton last July.

Dee Stormed gets his first win! 👏

The @renita_beaton trained gelding gets the money in Race 3 at Grafton. pic.twitter.com/6zP8q9Vbpy

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 21, 2024

He then resumes on his home track two weeks ago where he finished a three-quarter length third behind Imperial State after being pressured in front.

“He was first-up for nine months the other week and just got a bit tired late,” Hull said.

“We are lucky to still have him. He was gelded after his first campaign and suffered some complications which is why he was so long out.

“We nearly lost him there but he is one tough little horse.”

Hull’s other runner for the day is Externus in the Benchmark 68 Handicap (1200m).

The seven-year-old joined Hull’s stable this campaign and scored a nice win first-up at Coffs Harbour but things went pear-shaped at Taree last start.

The gelding was caught three-wide without cover and pushed four wide on the bend before fading to finish last behind Floss’s One.

“He pulled up with heart arrhythmia as well so he had genuine excuses,” he said.

“He won well with 61.5kg first-up. It was good to get him back into winning form.

“The 1200m is probably a too short for him but with that little setback and not many suitable options around for him in the calendar, it will keep him ticking over.

“He is a horse I would love to see get out over 2000m. That’s the feel he gives me.

“I think he can run a cheeky race this week and improve as he steps up in trip.”